Volunteer roles in Coulsdon

Volunteer with Older People - Elders Programme

Location: Battersea, London

Organisation: Katherine Low Settlement (KLS)

Katherine Low Settlement is a community charity in Battersea that has been supporting local people since 1924. Our Elders Programme brings older people together every week through social activities, shared meals and gentle exercise. For many of our members, these sessions are the highlight of their week. The volunteers who show up and make them feel welcome are the reason they keep coming back.

We're looking for warm, reliable people to join us across a range of roles. You don't need experience or qualifications, just patience, a friendly face and a genuine enjoyment of spending time with older adults.

Choose a role that suits you

Lunch Club Volunteer - Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays, 11:00am to 2:00pm
Welcome members, chat with them on the minibus journey to and from KLS, help serve food and support with tidying up. You'll also sit down to eat lunch with members, which is often the highlight of the day.

Minibus Support Volunteer - Tuesdays, 9:00 to 10:45am
Travel with members on the minibus to and from KLS, making sure everyone feels safe, comfortable and looked after on the journey in.

Chair Based Exercise Assistant - Mondays, 1:30 to 4:00pm
Support older people to stay active and connected through gentle weekly exercise. You'll help set up, welcome members, offer encouragement during the session and provide a bit of extra one-to-one support where needed.

Digital Champion (Tech Beginners) - Thursdays, 11:00am to 12:30pm
Help older people take their first steps with technology. This structured weekly class covers the basics, including smartphones, sending messages and getting online safely. You'll support the group, answer questions and keep things relaxed and encouraging.

Digital Champion (Tech Together) - Tuesdays, 1:30 to 3:30pm
Support older people in a friendly weekly drop-in where members get help with their own devices or use our tablets and Chromebooks. You'll listen to what each person needs, answer questions and help them build confidence at their own pace.

Digital Champion (Tech Your Time) - Thursdays, 1:30 to 3:00pm
Help older people develop their digital skills further in a structured intermediate session. You'll support members as they build on the basics, practise everyday tasks and grow in confidence and independence online.

What we're looking for

- Friendly, patient people who enjoy spending time with older adults
- No experience needed, just a positive attitude and willingness to show up
- A commitment of one session per week for at least six months

"It's one of the best things I've done. Everyone is so welcoming, you leave every session smiling." - KLS volunteer, Tech Your Time

"It's the highlight of their week, and mine." - KLS volunteer, Lunch Club

Ready to get involved?

- Apply on Charity Jobs
- Apply on our website: Search Katherine Low Settlement

Volunteer with Refugee Young People - Help with Homework and Activities

Location: Battersea, London

Programme: Future Foundations - Katherine Low Settlement

Join our Future Foundations programme and support young people from refugee and newly arrived backgrounds to thrive in school and beyond. Each club blends focused homework support with fun, creative activities that help build confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging. You'll be part of something that gives young people a brighter start in life, and you'll still get school holidays off.

Every hour you spend helps a young person feel more confident, more connected and more empowered to succeed.

Choose a club that works for you

Junior Homework Club (Ages 7-11) - Thursdays, 4:00 to 7:00pm
Support primary-aged children with reading, homework and structured play.

Senior Homework Club (Ages 11-14) - Wednesdays, 4:30 to 7:30pm
Help senior school aged students with schoolwork, confidence and communication, then join in with group games and creative activities.

Youth Homework Club (Ages 14-20) - Mondays, 4:00 to 7:00pm
Help older, newly arrived students with schoolwork, confidence and communication, then join in with group games and creative activities.

What you'll do

- Support young people with homework, reading and school projects
- Build confidence through games, conversation and encouragement
- Help run arts, crafts, sports or group activities
- Work alongside experienced youth workers and other brilliant volunteers

What you'll get

- Full training and ongoing support
- The chance to make a real difference in a young person's life
- A friendly community of staff and volunteers
- Great experience for anyone interested in education, youth work or community support

"Volunteering at Future Foundations has been such a rewarding experience. Seeing the young people improve in their reading and confidence week by week is incredible. One student told me they felt 'smarter' after we worked on homework together. That was a real highlight for me." - Future Foundations Volunteer

What we're looking for

- Kind, patient and enthusiastic people
- Good listeners who enjoy spending time with children or teens
- No experience needed, just a willingness to help and learn
- Volunteers from all backgrounds are welcome

We ask for a commitment of one afternoon per week, for at least six months (term time only).

Future Foundations is part of Katherine Low Settlement, a community charity in Battersea. We work with young people from refugee and newly arrived backgrounds through mentoring, homework clubs and educational support.

Ready to make a difference?

- Apply on Charity Jobs
- Apply on our website: search Katherine Low Settlement
 

Are you interested in making a difference to the lives of children and young people? Is there a skatepark in your area? If so, this role could be for you.

We are a UK registered youth development charity that uses teaching and learning to skateboard in a structured and supportive environment as a platform to develop the skills and abilities of children and young people.

The Role: Chapter Leader

As a Chapter Leader with the Skateboarding Foundation (SF), your role is to set up and run a Local Chapter that gives young people access to skateboarding and life skills through the SF ‘Eduskate’ programme.

Training, materials, resources, equipment and ongoing support, advice and guidance will be provided.

Key responsibilities

Your key responsibilities include:

• Setting up and running the chapter
• Recruiting coaches
• Recruiting learners
• Coordinating the delivery of the coaching programme
• Raising funds and spreading the word
• Helping us monitor and evaluate the programme
• Giving three/four hours a month of your time

You’ll have overall responsibility for the chapter’s activities, compliance, and smooth running. You’ll provide direction and support to your chapter committee, chair meetings, and ensure volunteers, coaching programmes, and fundraising are well managed.

The role involves motivating the team, planning chapter development, and stepping in where needed to keep things on track. You’ll also liaise with the national Board of Trustees, keeping them informed of key decisions and changes. 

Strong leadership, organisation, and a passion for youth development (and ideally skateboarding) and the charity’s mission are essential.

We’re looking for a patient and kind volunteer to support an active and energetic man in Streatham. He’ll take some time to get to know you, so you’re first few visits will likely be spent going for walks around the local area with a member of his support team. This gentleman is non-verbal and will communicate with you through sounds, gestures and movements.

He takes a little while to warm up to new people, so you will need to be patient while he takes his time becoming comfortable with you. It would be great if his new volunteer had some experience with people with learning disabilities, though this isn’t at all necessary as long as you have a positive attitude. It’s important to know that his care team would always be on hand, and that his not-so-secret kryptonite is chocolate!

We offer a lifelong befriending service for adults with learning disabilities. Matching the skills and interests of passionate visitors with the specific hobbies and interests of the people we visit. Visitors visit six times a year to create a 1-2-1 connection, offer companionship, encourage people to do the things they enjoy and check-in on their wellbeing. In many cases, the visitor is the only person in someone’s life who isn’t paid to be there for them.

This is a Stop and Stay visit role, meaning that the person you’ll be visiting might have some verbal communication skills or they use sounds and/or facial/body expressions to communicate with you. The person you visit might choose to take part in simple activities or watch you doing the activities. Your volunteer manager will be happy to help you with ideas and suggestions for things you can do. Visits will vary in length but tend to be around half an hour to an hour long.

In this role you will spend quality time with the person you visit and could do a range of different activities like:

• Sitting and having a chat
• Checking in on their well- being
• A craft activity at home
• Reading a book/magazine together

As a Mencap volunteer visitor you will be:

• Friendly and approachable
• Accepting of others who might be different to yourself
• Reliable and patient
• Passionate about supporting people with a with a learning disability.

As a Mencap visitor you will:

• Have the opportunity to help make a difference to the life of the person you visit
• Receive a personalised volunteer induction and training
• Have agreed out of pocket expenses reimbursed
• Meet new people
• Get on-going support, and feel appreciated and valued

About Mencap Mencap is the leading learning disability charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We work with people with a learning disability and their families to challenge prejudice and change laws, and we directly support thousands of people to live their lives as they choose. We have an ambitious vision for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.

Volunteering with us is YOUR opportunity to help us achieve this, whilst having the chance to develop your skills, meet new people and join a passionate and dedicated team.

PUBLICITY & MARKETING VOLUNTEER

Across the UK, our 65 local branches work with disabled people to help them live the lives they choose. Our network of skilled volunteers respond to thousands of requests each year to design and make customised equipment free of charge.

Our Publicity & Marketing volunteers play an essential role in publicising and raising awareness of their local branch’s activities.

What the role involves

This is a varied role that each branch tends to do a bit differently, but it will involve:

• Collecting case studies from the clients we help

• Writing stories for the local press

• Distributing literature

• Arranging talks

• Working with the Central Team to promote panel activities

We can support you to develop the skills you need for this role, and there’s an induction that covers all the areas above. You’ll also have chance to discuss your role and any additional needs with us.

What you’ll need for this role

• Confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email

• Confident using social media platforms

• Warm, approachable and confident to engage with clients to gather their story

• Able to follow REMAP policies and procedures

• Able to apply disability, equality, and inclusion practices

• Able to keep people’s personal details safe

• A commitment to our values

You’ll also need to complete the induction checklist and some online training.

If it works better for you, there’s a possibility this role could be done remotely.

Why volunteer

When you volunteer with us, you join a community of committed people with a passion for helping to improve the lives of others. We’re a volunteer led organisation and we couldn’t do what we do without your hard work, skills and commitment.

N.B. We’ll reimburse any out-of-pocket expenses during your time with us.

The Plateful Café works to relieve poverty and isolation amongst refugees, asylum seekers and ethnic minorities in Lewisham. Our commitment is to reach the most vulnerable people in our community and help them access the support they are entitled to. Refugees will benefit from workshops, training skills and knowledge relevant for catering industry.

 As a small charity, a modest sum of money raised can enable our projects to take place. As such, the role of volunteer fundraiser is essential.  We are seeking to appoint enthusiastic, well-organised and highly motivated people to assist our Grants and Funding team  with the research and writing of funding applications to secure vitally needed funds for the charity.

The duties will include:

• Conduct research into trusts and foundations 
• Write funding applications
• Attend monthly team meeting
• Supporting the fundraising team in any other ways as required.

Requirements:

• Excellent communication skills in fluent English
• Excellent research skills and ability to work with considerable initiative
• Good computer skills
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Some previous fundraising experience is desirable
• An interest in supporting refugees and contributing to the work of Plateful Cafe

What you will gain as a volunteer:

• Gain experience and insight into the world of charity fundraising
• Develop skills and strategies needed as a fundraiser
• Acquire experience working within a community charity
• Access training opportunities available to Plateful Cafe volunteers